Here's my letter. I'm not sure if I should mention AA or not; I don't want to get AA in trouble, so I'll re-write it if necessary.
"To whom it may concern:
I am a regular member of a very active Internet fish keeping forum with over 13,000 members called AquariumAdvice. There are a number of members who keep heavily planted aquariums, including myself. Recently, there have been a number of members new to keeping aquarium plants who are dismayed that the pre-packaged Top Fin plants they bought are dying. Unfortunately, the plants they bought are non-aquatic plants that may linger for a time underwater, but will eventually rot. I am writing on behalf of the new plant keepers, as well as the more experienced members who patiently explain to them that their plants have died through no fault of their own.
I understand that many fish stores offer non-aquatic plant species. However, PetsMarts’ sale of the Top Fin pre-packaged plants is absolutely unconscionable, for the following reasons:
--The plant packages are an outrageous $9 - $12 each.
--The plants are packaged under the Top Fin brand and sold in the aquarium department, clearly intended to be sold to aquarium owners.
--The plants are labeled “Snail Free!” which attracts new, inexperienced plant keepers who are afraid of snail population explosions.
--There is no indication on the packaging or point of purchase displays that the plants are terrestrial and not aquatic.
--The old aquatic plant display tanks have been removed, so the only live plant option is the prepackaged plants.
Not providing an alternative to the expensive non-aquatic plants only just sets up inexperienced plant keepers for a costly failure. Sadly, experiences with the Top Fin plants may discourage people from venturing further in planted aquariums, which provide healthier homes for fish and can become a very rewarding area of fish keeping.
Surely, you must be aware that the plants are terrestrial and not aquatic species, as the plants are packaged without water. In my mind, promoting these plants as appropriate for aquariums when they are clearly not is defrauding the customer. Please bring back the old display cases of true aquatic plants (which were always clean and healthy in my local store, # 1048, and did not need to be replaced). Ideally, I would like to see all non-aquatics plants removed from sale in the aquarium department. If they are offered, it should be in the reptile and amphibian department, where they can make an appropriate décor for a terrarium. In any case, the plants should be clearly labeled as non-aquatics with a note that they can survive underwater only temporarily.
I am a long time fish keeper of ten years, and I started with PetsMart. I have five freshwater aquariums (all planted) and a saltwater aquarium. I also have two dogs, a cat, two guinea pigs, and a rabbit. I have taken my own dog through both your basic and advanced training classes, and a foster dog through the basic class as well. As you can imagine, I have spent a lot of time and money with you in the past. However, such a clear disregard for the customer in this area shakes my trust in your stores. I now wonder whether I too am being scammed in an area of pet keeping I am less experienced in. I am no longer eager to spend money at PetsMart, and will be buying my pet supplies elsewhere, until I see evidence that PetsMart cares about its customers and their pet keeping success.
Sincerely,
Rachel Crowley"
), but the tube plant thing is out of hand. They are $9-12 each. They are packaged packaged under the Top Fin brand, clearly intended to be sold to aquarium owners and not terrarium owners, where they are better suited. There is nothing on the tube to indicate it is a non-aquatic and has only a limited life span underwater. They are labeled "Snail Free!" which attracts new plant keepers who are afraid of snail explosions. To top it off, my petsmart removed their planted tank display, so your only option is buying the tube plants. This is a scam! And it sets new people up for failure.
